As China celebrates the 2026 Spring Festival, the crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission aboard the Tiangong space station has received a remarkable gift, a thriving harvest of tomatoes grown in orbit.

In a video reported by China Media Group (CMG) on Wednesday, astronaut Zhang Hongzhang gave his fellow people on Earth a tour of what he calls a "healing corner" of the Tiangong, showing the tomato plants exhibiting vigorous growth.

The device nurturing these plants is called an aeroponic cultivation system developed by a research team from the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Zhang explained that it works by vaporizing water into a fine mist, which can significantly improve water-use efficiency.

"Additionally, the system uses a specially designed LED light spectrum that greatly enhances energy efficiency. The result is this thriving scene of space-grown tomatoes before us," he said.

The aeroponic device was delivered to the space station by the Tianzhou-9 cargo spacecraft in July 2025. According to the CMG report, its primary mission is to validate key technologies for the efficient cultivation of plants in microgravity.

The data gathered will inform future long-duration space missions in which bioregenerative life support systems may prove essential.

The sight and scent of the ripening tomatoes are a treat for all the astronauts aboard.

"Look at these tomatoes. They are so enticing, with a faint, fresh scent. Every time I pass by this area, I want to take a deep breath and enjoy the fragrance," said astronaut Wu Fei.

"Currently, we tend to them daily and record their growth data. This valuable data on plant growth in orbit will serve as an excellent reference for cultivating crops in space in the future," Wu said.

Future plans for the Tiangong "space garden" include aeroponic cultivation trials of wheat, carrots and medicinal plant species, progressively expanding the diversity of crops that can be sustained in orbital environments, according to the report.

For the astronauts, tending this little garden provides a profound psychological boost amid their demanding schedule.

"Seeing such a vibrant splash of green in the vastness of space is incredibly healing," said astronaut Zhang Lu. "It also gives us greater confidence in completing our subsequent experimental tasks."

"We will continue documenting the growth of these space tomatoes and sharing more wonders of the space ecosystem with everyone," he added.

Launched on October 31, 2025, the Shenzhou-21 crew's space mission has already exceeded 100 days. All tasks, including scientific experiments, equipment maintenance, and health management, are progressing smoothly, according to the China Manned Space Agency.